Larkin downs Rockford East

ROCKFORD - Larkin's season-opening win against Rockford East was something like an accordion: Larkin would stretch the lead to double digits, then the E-Rabs would squeeze back into it only to watch the Royals extend the lead again.

Larkin finished the game on one of those runs, outscoring the host E-Rabs 14-4 after East had gotten within 2 points to come away with the 79-67 victory in the inaugural game of the 205 Tipoff Classic in Rockford.

Christian Negron had 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead the way for Larkin. Kayvon Kyles finished with 14 points and Charles Sanders and AJ Hunter added 11 apiece.

"We could have maybe made a play or two to get it done, but they never gave in," said Larkin coach Deryn Carter. "It's the first game and holy cow are there a lot of mistakes to correct, but the one thing is that we've been working on playing hard and they came out and played hard."

The Royals led 64-54 following Negron's third dunk of the game, but then watched the E-Rabs go on a 9-1 run, capped by a fastbreak layup by Jordan Reynolds that left Larkin clinging to a 65-63 lead.

But just like that the momentum shifted again, with the Royals scoring 8 of the next 9 points. Negron scored twice inside and Kyles and Sanders each made 2 free throws.

"It's an easy game if you make it that way, but we made it difficult down the stretch for sure," Carter said.

In a choppy first game, the teams combined for 64 free throws, making 38.

Tanner Gardon added 9 points for Larkin. Sanders added 6 rebounds, Trell Mardis had 4 assists, and Daniel McFadden added 6 points and 3 blocks for the Royals.

East, with three potential starters ineligible, was led by Daevion Dixon with 20 points. Reynolds finished with 18, including 11 in the second half, but no one else finished with more than 7 for East.